One of the Opposition parties (mainstream) has signalled an interest in how tax credit claimants are (mis)treated by the court system, and how we are treated as though we have defaulted on taxes we are obliged to pay, rather than as potentially innocent victims of Treasury mistakes.

We have lots of evidence of past abuses, but it would be helpful to hear from people who are currently facing court threats or have recieved CCJs simply through refusing to repay a tax credit bill which was in dispute.

Years ago, the then Paymaster General Dawn Primarolo promised:

Before instigating legal proceedings HMRC make a number of attempts (by telephone and a personal visit) to contact the customer. They also check to see if there is any existing dispute about the overpayment before commencing legal action. Where the issue of a court summons produces a defence claiming that the overpayment is in dispute proceedings are suspended until the claim is resolved.

Yet we believe this is just rhetoric, and that the reality is different.

Do politicians lie? It seems that many of the red ones do.

Please get in touch if you have recent experiences of being hauled into court (or threatened with it whilst still in dispute), or if you work in Debt Recovery and would like to whistleblow on behalf of the innocent.

Morpheus: I'm trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it.